LG Velvet 5G UW vs. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G: A Detailed Comparison
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user in 2024, the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G emerges as the stronger choice. While the LG Velvet 5G UW offers excellent value, the Note20 Ultra’s superior display brightness, more powerful processor (especially the US Snapdragon 865+ variant), and refined camera system justify the price difference, even with its age.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | LG Velvet 5G UW | Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 20, 28, 46, 48, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - SM-N986U |
| 5G bands | 260, 261 mmWave | 2, 5, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - SM-N986U |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat16 1000/75 Mbps, 5G 2Gbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA 800 / 1900 | 41, 66, 71 Sub6 - SM-N986W | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, August 19. Released 2020, August 21 | 2020, August 05 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2020, August 21 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), stainless steel frame |
| Dimensions | 167.2 x 74.1 x 7.9 mm (6.58 x 2.92 x 0.31 in) | 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1 mm (6.49 x 3.04 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM (pre-installed) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | - | 208 g (7.34 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) MIL-STD-810G compliant* *does not guarantee ruggedness or use in extreme conditions | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Stylus, 9ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~496 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~88.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.9 inches, 116.7 cm2 (~91.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display 120Hz@FHD/60Hz@QHD refresh rate | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) | Octa-core (2x2.73 GHz Mongoose M5 & 2x2.50 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) - GlobalOcta-core (1x3.0 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) - USA |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) | Exynos 990 (7 nm+) - GlobalQualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G+ (7 nm+) - USA |
| GPU | Adreno 620 | Mali-G77 MP11 - GlobalAdreno 650 - USA |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 11, LG UX | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 3.0 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 3.15 MP |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 15mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm Auxiliary lens | 108 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.0, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom, 50x hybrid zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS & OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/1.9, 29mm (standard), 1/3.06, 1.0µm | 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.2", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | FM radio (Snapdragon model only; market/operator dependent) |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) ANT+ Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 25W wired, PD3.0, QC4 9W wireless | 25W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4300 mAh | Li-Ion 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Aurora Red | Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Mystic White |
| Models | LM-G900V, LM-G900V | SM-N986B, SM-N986B/DS, SM-N986U, SM-N986U1, SM-N986W, SM-N9860, SM-N986N, SC-53A |
| Price | About 590 EUR | € 381.00 / $ 248.44 |
| SAR | - | 0.71 W/kg (head) 1.18 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.34 W/kg (head) 1.47 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 88h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.8 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 508760 (v8) GeekBench: 2603 (v5.1) GFXBench: 42fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
LG Velvet 5G UW
- More affordable price point
- Sleek and unique design
- Good 5G connectivity
- Less powerful processor
- Inferior camera system
- Slower wireless charging
Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
- Powerful Snapdragon 865+ (US variant)
- Brighter and more vibrant display
- Versatile and high-quality camera system
- Higher price (though decreasing)
- Potential for Exynos overheating (Global variant)
- Larger and heavier design
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G boasts a significantly brighter display, peaking at 1024 nits measured, compared to the LG Velvet 5G UW (brightness data unavailable, but expected to be lower). This translates to better outdoor visibility. While both displays offer an 'infinite' contrast ratio (typical for OLED), the Note20 Ultra’s larger size and higher resolution contribute to a more immersive viewing experience. The Note20 Ultra’s 120Hz refresh rate, while not LTPO (variable refresh rate), provides smoother scrolling and animations than the Velvet’s standard 60Hz panel.
Camera Comparison
The Note20 Ultra 5G’s camera system is more comprehensive. While both phones offer capable photo and video recording, the Note20 Ultra’s larger sensors and more advanced image processing provide superior image quality, especially in low-light conditions. The Note20 Ultra’s 108MP main sensor, combined with its advanced zoom capabilities, surpasses the Velvet’s camera in terms of detail and versatility. The Velvet’s camera is still respectable, but lacks the refinement and feature set of the Note20 Ultra. The 2MP macro camera on the Velvet is largely a marketing gimmick and offers limited practical benefit.
Performance
The performance gap is substantial. The Note20 Ultra 5G, particularly the US variant with the Snapdragon 865 5G+, features a more powerful CPU and GPU than the LG Velvet 5G UW’s Snapdragon 765G. The Snapdragon 865+ utilizes a Kryo 585 core clocked at 3.0 GHz, while the Velvet’s 765G tops out at 2.4 GHz. This difference is noticeable in demanding tasks like gaming and video editing. The Exynos 990 variant of the Note20 Ultra, while still powerful, may exhibit more thermal throttling than the Snapdragon 865+ due to its 7nm+ manufacturing process versus the 7nm process of the 765G. Both phones utilize 8GB of RAM, but the Note20 Ultra benefits from faster LPDDR5 memory.
Battery Life
Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 88 hours, suggesting similar overall battery life despite the Note20 Ultra’s larger battery capacity. However, the Note20 Ultra’s 25W wired charging is comparable to the Velvet’s, but the Note20 Ultra adds 15W Qi wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, offering greater convenience. The Velvet’s 9W wireless charging is significantly slower. The Snapdragon 865+ in the US Note20 Ultra is also more power efficient, potentially extending battery life during intensive use.
Buying Guide
Buy the LG Velvet 5G UW if you prioritize a sleek design, a more affordable 5G experience, and are comfortable with a mid-range processor. It’s ideal for everyday tasks and media consumption. Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G if you demand top-tier performance for demanding applications, a brighter and more vibrant display, and a more versatile camera system, particularly if you can find a US Snapdragon 865+ variant.